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Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket owners finally have their shot at Android 4.1.

Available as of Wednesday, the Jelly Bean flavor of Android can be downloaded courtesy of AT&T.

Users can update their OS to Android 4.1.2 by following the how-to page on the carrier's Web site. The update does require Galaxy S2 Skyrocket users to download the software through Samsung's Kies and then sync it with their mobile phone.

Jelly Bean offers a number of enhancements over its predecessor, as an AT&T blog points out.

The notification screen organizes updates … Read more

One of the most important aspects of a handset's overall user experience is which carrier it's operating on.

Now that T-Mobile is offering the device, the iPhone 5 is finally available on all four major U.S. carriers. (Regional networks like U.S. Cellular, Cricket Wireless, and C Spire sell the handset as well.)

Each of these four networks -- AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile -- have different plans, prices, and bundles. In addition, T-Mobile's iPhone in particular comes with a number of differences compared to the others. However, with all the little nuanced phone … Read more

The Facebook-powered HTC First can count on at least one close friend: AT&T.

The Dallas-based wireless carrier, which is the exclusive partner to Facebook and HTC for the First, is promising to give the device its most prominent position in stores when it launches on Friday. That's because AT&T considers the HTC First its flagship smartphone for the spring, Claudia Knop, a device executive with the carrier, told CNET.

It's a curious decision by AT&T, which also has the HTC One and Galaxy S4 waiting in the wings. While AT&T … Read more

Two weeks ago, when T-Mobile announced that its 4G LTE had launched, CNET's own Brian Bennett gave the network a test run in New York across three handsets: the iPhone 5, the HTC One, and the BlackBerry Z10.

But as most of us know, the carrier's 4G LTE isn't actually live now in New York; it was turned on temporarily just for the press conference. Currently, if you want to experience T-Mobile's fledgling 4G LTE, you'll need to be in Baltimore; Houston; Kansas City, Mo.; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Jose, Calif.; or Washington, D.C.… Read more

Six more AT&T markets have access to its 4G LTE network, bringing its total to 182, the carrier said today.

Meanwhile, seven existing AT&T markets have snagged expanded LTE coverage. The company also unveiled plans to bring the super-fast wireless connection to 77 additional markets by the end of summer.

AT&T is racing to catch up to market leader Verizon Wireless, which offers LTE in nearly 500 markets and plans to wrap up its deployment by the middle of the year. With the increasing consumer awareness over 4G LTE and the need for a … Read more

Just hours after Google announced that it was bringing its gigabit Google Fiber Internet and TV service to Austinites by mid 2014, AT&T said that it too will build a fast fiber-optic infrastructure for comparable high-speed access in the techie Texas city.

As an expansion to the company's Project VIP, AT&T will deliver Internet speeds of up to 1Gbps through the just-announced Austin infrastructure, the company said. AT&T did not reveal pricing or its rollout plans, which makes the reveal seem like an in-your-face move designed to … Read more

Virgin Mobile wants consumers to know that it's a major player in the no-contract wireless game too, and isn't afraid to spend a little money to show it.

Virgin set its sights directly on T-Mobile, offering $100 to T-Mobile customers willing to switch their number over and buy a smartphone before May 31.

Carriers will often provide incentives to switch, but rarely do they target a specific company. T-Mobile has made a lot of noise about its move to abolish contracts and subsidies, and Virgin Mobile, a business built on prepaid service and a unit of Sprint Nextel, … Read more

Stephanie Kaloi's 4-year-old son recently went through surgery and came home with his knees immobilized and a walker to help him get around. That's a big damper on the normally active life of any young kid. After sending out an Instagram of the walker, a friend suggested that it looked a bit like an AT-AT. Soon, a pint-sized "Star Wars" AT-AT Walker walker was born.

Comic artist Ben Dewey volunteered his skills to translate the movie machine into a form that would fit on the walker. The walker now has AT-AT legs and a head and a control panel featuring the leader of the Imperial forces, Darth Vader himself. I guess this makes the tyke a Sith Lord-in-training.… Read more

AT&T is making it easier for businesses to launch new mobile marketing campaigns using QR code technology.

The telecom giant is partnering with Scanbuy to allow businesses to create campaigns that can trigger actions such as linking to a video or generating an e-mail, as well as help expand brand awareness using designer QR codes. AT&T Mobile Barcode Services also will enable businesses to give consumers access to product information, promotions, coupons, and other items after the consumers scan a bar code.

"AT&T Mobile Barcode Services can help a business to execute, monitor, … Read more